Taste of Lies
by QuicklyTurningPages
Summary: Bella can taste lies. One day she's comforting her best friend after a tough breakup and almost vomits at the foul taste the words bring – "After all, you're only human"./ Writing prompt, AU Supernatural, non vampire.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: Bella can taste lies. One day she's comforting her best friend after a tough breakup and almost vomits at the foul taste the words bring – "After all, you're only human".**

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I leaned back in my chair, happily tilting my head back as the sun shone down on the ground. I could hear the students milling about, going from one class to another, or just hanging with their friends on the lawn surrounding me. The sun shining was definitely not a daily occurrence, but instead of staying indoors with the heat going, I would rather spend my day outside, basking in a little Vitamin D.

The clock in the east tower started to chime, letting me know it was noon. I sighed, hating that I had 15 minutes to get to my next class. Gathering my books from the picnic table where I had set up camp, I pushed them in my messenger bag and stood. At that moment a couple walked by, the guy a bit too close to me for comfort. I pressed into the table, hoping he didn't just knock into me like a majority of people did on this campus.

"I swear, baby," I heard him whine to the girl walking next to him, "I threw her phone number away the moment she gave it to me." I almost gagged and the rancid taste that flooded through my mouth, and I forced myself to swallow the saliva that had pooled, rather than spit it out. I let my eyes trail after the two, shaking my head at the trusting girl who reached out to hold her lying boyfriends hand.

I rummaged through my bag for a moment, grabbing a mint and popped it into my mouth to rid it of the taste. I let them make some headway towards their destination before I followed behind. They didn't look familiar, but then again my class had almost 100 people and I didn't know everyone's faces. Either way, I didn't want to be close enough to listen to his lies.

Putting headphones in my ears as I walked, I listened to soft music, blocking out any chatter. I sighed at the thought of being indoors when the sun was so inviting, but I had to play adult for a while. At least until my last classes ended at five.

A hand wrapped around my upper arm, stopping me before I entered my classroom. I spun around, pulling an ear bud out as I turned. The face I gazed into made my heart flutter, but I pushed back the twinge of attraction as I looked into the eyes of my best friend.

"Edward, what's up? Why aren't you in class?" Edward's hand stayed where it was as he pulled me out of the entranceway of the classroom. I looked down to make sure I didn't trip over my own feet as I was pulled to the side.

"Bella." Edward's voice sounded strained and he looked a bit wild in the eyes. My breath caught in my throat for a moment, worried about the look. He seemed scared.

"What's wrong?" His hand dropped from my arm, and I shifted in place, wondering what he needed from me. Edward and I were close; he was one of my best friends. I had met him when I moved to Maine for college, and I had left New Jersey behind. My first class at the University of Maine had been a history course, and I had chosen a seat in the very back of the class, away from others. It didn't matter how far back from the podium I sat though, because Edward Cullen had planted himself next to me and nervously talked at me. He told me how he hadn't been away from home in a long time and that his sister was forcing him to go to school even though he didn't think he needed it. But he had learned a long time ago not to argue with his sister, so away to college he went.

It had taken me a while to open up to him, but once I did, there was no going back. I trusted Edward, because Edward was one person who had never lied to me. Intentionally, anyway.

"Bella, I need you and your trick." I rolled my eyes and shook my head. Not this bullshit again. "Just for a little bit, please." I crossed my arms across my chest and cocked an eyebrow.

"What are you talking about?" I checked my watch. Five minutes until class, and the professor didn't appreciate when people were late. When they were late, he picked on them in class. I didn't want to be on the chopping block today.

Edward stepped forward, his honey colored eyes peering out from beneath long eyelashes. I groaned, closing my eyes. I couldn't handle this look, this pleading that he did. _If I keep my eyes closed, _I told myself, _I won't fall for his begging._

My mouth filled with a bitter taste, and I swallowed hard to rid my mouth of its lie.

"Tanya said she needs to talk, and I think she's going to break up with me." Ah, there it was. I mentally rolled my eyes, preparing myself for the onslaught of pleading Edward was preparing himself for. He knew I wasn't a huge fan of Tanya, and she sure as hell wasn't a fan of me. We were rarely in the same room, and it only happened when Edward forced us together. Even when we were forced together, we didn't talk much. Our common factor? Edward.

I chose to stay silent as Edward worked up what he wanted to say to me. Glancing at my watch once more, I held up 3 fingers to let him know that's how long I had.

"I was wondering if you'd have dinner with me and Tanya tonight at my place." I opened my mouth to say no, but Edward ran his hands through his copper colored hair, gripping the ends, and shot a look at me. The look had me keep my mouth shut. "Please, Bella. Please. You don't have to say much. I just need you to be there, just be there and be my friend and let me know if she lies out of her ass. Please." I don't think I heard the word 'please' out of someone's mouth that many times in one sentence.

I stayed silent for a few moments, eyeing up the man in front of me. Edward was normally put together, very polite and blasé about a lot of things. My opinion? He started dating Tanya because he was bored. Maine wasn't exactly Florida, and the parties weren't raging. The cold weather eighty percent of the time kept people indoors unless they were throwing themselves down a mountain on skis.

In the time that Edward had dated Tanya, though, he formed some kind of connection to her. A connection that threw me off guard. I had fallen into an easy pattern with Edward when we became friends, and we worked well together. We had our group of friends, and we were fine. We were content. Which is why it surprised me when he brought Tanya to the movies one night with the group. Needless to say, I didn't remember any of the action movie playing because all of my attention had been on the blonde stranger hanging all over my best friend.

"Fine," I whispered. Arms surrounded me, squeezing me a bit too hard. I pushed away from Edward's chest, not letting the butterflies fly at his mere touch.

"My classes end at five, I can be at your place by six." I glanced at my watch again and turned to the door of the classroom, time officially running out.

"Thank you! Bella, thank you!" I waved over my shoulder, darting into the class as the door slammed shut behind me. I mentally berated myself as I walked to my regular seat in the back of the class, thankful that no one had taken it. Taking my notebook out of my messenger bag, I leaned back in my seat and sighed. I was mad at myself, mad that I was so easily persuaded into this dinner. So easily persuaded into doing this favor for Edward.

So easily persuaded into using my 'trick' on Tanya.

As the professor stepped up to the podium and opened his notes in front of him, I rubbed my hands over my face, hoping to rub the feeling of unease away.

"I'm under the impression you've all read the content assigned to you," Professor Macklin's voice projected to the class. I opened my notebook, scanning over the notes I had made for the five chapters he had assigned us. I didn't mess around with this class, knowing it was mandatory that I get an A if I wanted to get into the law school of my choosing. _Forensic Psychology & the Criminal Justice System. _I had spent all weekend reading and preparing for this class, not putting in as much effort to my upper level English course.

As the professor began his lecture on the material, I felt confident enough in what I had retained that I didn't need to give one hundred percent attention. Instead, I let my mind wander to what was awaiting me that evening.

I couldn't believe I let Edward talk me into this; talk me into an evening of wanting to scrub my mouth out with mint mouth wash. _My trick._

I wasn't sure when it started, and I don't quite remember the exact moment when I realized what it meant. But for as far back as I could remember, I constantly had a bad taste in my mouth. When someone smiled and said they were happy to meet me when they really didn't give a shit, or when someone would talk about their weekend out at the club when they actually sat in front of the television and watched Netflix, or even about the guy they were 'dating', a foul taste would enter my mouth. Sometimes I would gag, other times I would spit to help relieve some of the taste. Most of the time I popped a mint in my mouth.

Regardless, I knew when people lied.

Their lie would travel into me like a hangover morning, a morning where brushing your teeth didn't help. Where you went through half a pack of gum in hopes that someone sitting a few feet away from you wouldn't smell it on your breath.

Sometimes, when the lie was really bad and I couldn't stop the gagging, I would have to excuse myself to the bathroom and throw up.

At twenty-one years old, I, Bella Swan, hated being around people because I knew when each and every person fabricated a story. Knew when they stretched a tale, added on an aspect of their story that made them sound cooler. Lied about a one night stand, or a stolen kiss from someone they've had their eye on. No one knew the truth, but over the past few years I had called out people on their bull shit enough times that I had gained the reputation amongst my friends as the lie detector. It was a great way to weed out the people who didn't matter. They never stuck around long enough to get through a few lies, and then they were too weirded out by my presence.

And here was Edward, asking me to tell him if Tanya was lying to him. What was he planning on doing, cornering her and asking her outright if she was with someone else? If she was shacking up with some guy from the gym?

This was going to be a very awkward evening, and I didn't know how to back out. Last thing I wanted to do was give Edward some bull shit excuse and end up making myself sick.

_Angela_. The idea came to me, and I mentally patted myself on the back. I'd invite Angela and her boyfriend along, make it a group, and therefore eliminate the awkward evening. It would help Edward, too, because Tanya wouldn't be suspicious of it being just the three of us.

I discreetly took out my cell phone and held it in my lap. Listening to Professor Macklin for a moment so I knew where he was in the lecture, I quickly typed out a text to Edward.

_I'd like to invite Angela and Ben, is that ok? This way Tanya doesn't feel ganged up on._

The response took a few minutes to get to me, but when Edward did respond I was relieved.

_Absolutely. Again, you're the best Bella._

I snorted in a very un-ladylike manner. The best. Sure. I quickly sent a text to Angela asking if she and Ben could join us for dinner, feeling even more relief when she answered back right away that they could.

Angela, much like Edward, didn't lie. She only lied to herself when she crushed on Ben freshman year and told everyone that she was happy being friends. No matter how much I told her that she was kidding herself, she stepped back and let him date someone from a sorority. Thankfully, that didn't last long, and Angela was asking him out for coffee two days after his relationships demise.

Now that my evening was planned out in a manner that I thought I could handle, I was able to concentrate on the lecture before me. Professor Macklin was picking someone out to answer a question and he chose someone from smack dab in the middle of the room. The girls' eyes opened wide as she scrambled her excuse of why she didn't know the answer. Something about her mother and her dog. My mouth flooded with what tasted like vinegar and I cringed. Taking out another mint, I popped it in my mouth as the professor grunted his distaste towards the still stuttering student.

"Did _anyone_ bother to read the chapters like I asked? Or are you all hoping that you can skate through this class and get a C? C's don't always get degrees people!" I smiled and raised my hand. I definitely did the homework, and better yet, I understood it.

Professor Macklin's eyes landed on me and he took a stance of someone who was waiting for disappointment.

"Yes, you?" I nodded and lowered my hand.

"The answer is yes," my voice rang out. A few heads turned towards me but I ignored them all. "The system also works with veterans to help them adjust to civilian life after war." Silence for a heartbeat and then a smile from the front.

"Thank you for not disappointing me," the professor announced. He turned to the girl who wasn't able to answer the question originally and gave her judgmental eyes. "Had you read the content you were supposed to, you'd know the answer much like this one. You know, the one who will most likely get an A in the class."

I hid my grin from everyone as I stared down at my notebook. Not only because I got a compliment from one of the hardest professors at the University of Maine, but because my mouth stayed minty fresh. No lies coming from him.

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**A/N: The idea for this came from a story prompt I saw online, so I ran with it. It's a post as I go situation, with definitely supernatural aspects (as you can tell from the summary). Disclaimer: I don't own any characters from Twilight.**


	2. Chapter 2

When five o'clock hit I almost didn't want to leave the comfort of my class. Advanced Composition didn't quite grasp my attention as it did on a normal day, and I was lucky that I was aware enough to turn the latest assignment in when the professor asked us to pass it forward.

I let the other students file out in clusters, chattering amongst themselves. I placed my ear buds in my ears, blocking any of the conversation out with some country music. Only when the room had cleared out did I sigh and stand, no longer having an excuse to hang around for any longer. I only had enough time to head back to my dorm room to drop off my stuff before I headed to Edward's apartment.

As I walked the familiar path to Oak Hall, I let my mind wander to the night ahead of me. Edward had fallen for Tanya quickly, her only being around for the past month and a half. When we all arrived for our junior year at the University, I had expected for everything to remain the same. I had expected our group of friends to fall back in the habit of studying together, eating meals, and even weekends out to movies and dinner.

Until Tanya.

Tanya was younger than everyone in my group, and in her first year at the University of Maine. Tall, blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and a sneer that would intimidate any normal person.

But I wasn't normal.

Tanya's first words to me when we met her at the movie theater were, "It's so great to meet you!" I had held back a grimace, shook her hand, and sipped on my pink lemonade to get rid of the rancid taste that filled my mouth. I didn't know what she had against me, but her words were disguised with a smile and a lie most of the time. What Edward saw in her, I didn't know, but I was never going to pull him aside and try to lecture on who he should be with.

Especially when I wouldn't tell him my own feelings.

My dorm room was peacefully quiet as I dropped my messenger bag on my double bed. I glanced down at the outfit I was wearing and shrugged, not seeing anything wrong with wearing jeans and a sweater to a casual dinner. But as I caught my reflection in the mirror, I paused. Tanya would most certainly be dressed up, wearing designer clothes and heels that made the most obnoxious _click clack_ noises.

"Fuck," I whispered to myself. I caved into my internal peer pressure and headed towards my closet.

I had a single room for my third year, refusing to bunk with anyone like I was forced to do for my first two years. Year one was spent with a girl who slept with half the male population of Orono, Maine. With each phone call she received where she told the guy he was her one and only, where she crooned on and on about how she couldn't wait to see them, led me closer and closer to wanting to scrub my mouth with bleach. Year two was spent with a girl who was failing her classes and calling home to tell her parents how much fun she was having. At that point, whenever she was in the room I was wearing ear plugs of some type.

This year, I refused to put myself through that, and I paid the extra two thousand dollars each semester to have my own room. My own piece of heaven where I didn't have to listen to anyone bull shit their way through life.

Pulling out a few options, I held them in front of me as I stared in the mirror. I wasn't going to the extremes that our dear buddy Tanya would most likely go to, but I wanted to at least show up not looking like I spent my entire day in classrooms.

I finally chose a purple long sleeved blouse, exchanging my worn jeans with a hole in one knee for a dark blue pair that I only wore when I had to look presentable. Once I ran a brush through my hair and pulled half of it back in an elastic band, I nodded. I wasn't going to go _all_ the way out of my comfort zone.

Grabbing my purse, I locked up my room and headed towards the stairwell. Edward's apartment was about a fifteen minute walk, and my car was low on gas and I wasn't in the mood to stop at the corner store to fill it up. The sun wasn't setting quite yet, so maybe I'd enjoy some of the residual sunshine that was casting over the trees surrounding the campus.

"Bella!" I sighed at the voice calling out to me, stopping and turning towards Alice with a smile on my face.

"Hey you, what's up?" Alice was pulling her boyfriend behind her, Jasper's face pretty emotionless except for one eyebrow raised. Jasper didn't speak much, and it wasn't a bad thing. Alice, on the other hand, never stopped talking.

Alice stopped in front of me and wrapped her arms around my shoulders, bringing me down to her height. I laughed as I returned the hug, feeling guilty for my initial hesitation on seeing my friend. Alice was a… special snowflake. Very special.

Especially since she didn't stop talking. Maybe that's why Jasper didn't talk – because he didn't get the chance.

"I haven't seen you in a while," Alice pointed out to me, her voice a bit accusing, but polite regardless. "How are classes going? What are you doing tonight?" I held up my hands, laughing as Alice practically vibrated in place. Jasper shook his head, smiling as he threw his arm around his girlfriend's shoulders.

"Sorry if I've been a recluse," I explained, leaning against the wall as a few people walked by. "My classes have been taking up a majority of my time." Alice nodded in understanding, sympathy in her eyes.

"I don't know how you do it," she smirked, "taking so many classes. Pre-Law is one thing, but to minor as well? Girl you're crazy!" I laughed with her, nodding as her words held truth to them. I wasn't like many of the people at college. I wasn't here to make friends and to go to parties. I was here to get my degree as soon as possible so I could start law school. So I could start my career. So I could help people.

"Yeah, I'm just torturing myself one semester at a time it seems," I shrugged. I glanced down at my wrist, seeing the time and cringing. It was getting a bit too late, and I would probably arrive last at Edward's.

"Listen guys, I have to go. But call me, we'll get together, okay? Maybe lunch?" Alice nodded, pulling me in for another hug before I waved at Jasper and headed back towards the stairs. I glanced back at my friends, my smile faltering when I saw Jasper giving Alice a look I couldn't decipher. She didn't seem effected by it, so I tried not to dwell. Their silent conversation eventually seemed to come to an end, and they turned their backs to me, heading back down the hall towards Alice's room.

I paused for only a moment longer as Alice and Jasper disappeared around the far corner of the hall, turning away as I lost sight of them. I threw myself down the stairs, worried about my running late. Part of me wondered if I should have invited Alice and her longtime boyfriend to the _soiree_, but I didn't think Edward would appreciate me turning what was supposed to be a small gathering into the next rave. Besides, Edward and Alice were always weird around each other. I had asked him once why he wasn't the friendliest to her, and all he had told me was "She reminds me of my sister, and I don't always like my sister." He was telling the truth. So I dropped it.

I arrived at Edward's apartment building two minutes late and hit the elevator button rapidly. As if this would bring the elevator car to the first floor faster.

My phone vibrated in my pocket and I pulled it out as the doors opened. It was Angela.

_Where are you? Tanya looks unimpressed with the company and is refusing to speak to anyone directly except for Ed._

"Shit," I muttered, hitting the button for the fourth floor. Thankfully it didn't take long to reach his floor, and even shorter time to get to his door. I barely knocked when the door was ripped open and I was staring into the wild eyes of a desperate man.

"Thank you," he whispered, pulling me into a hug. I nodded against his chest, patting him twice on the back before he let me go.

"I'm ready for my close up," I groaned, dramatically throwing my arms wide as I stepped through the foyer. Edward chuckled, pushing me towards the dining area. The jealously was strong in me as I glanced around the familiar apartment. Mr. Edward here didn't have to stay in the dorms because he was loaded. Loaded enough to live alone, in an apartment, and to have a _foyer_.

As I entered the dining room, I bit back a laugh at the sight of Angela and Ben on one side of the table, and Tanya on the other. Tanya's eyes were narrowed into slits as she stared at a spot over Angela's head, and Angela was leaning into Ben as a form of comfort.

When they saw me enter, Angela jumped up and threw her arms around me. I stepped back, bracing myself as her weight threw my balance off. Waving at Ben over her shoulder, we both laughed at his wonderful girlfriend.

"Hey Angie, glad you guys could make it." She pulled back and let silent words hit me with the look in her eyes. I understood, she didn't have to say anything. I turned to Tanya, noting how her narrowed eyes were now trained on me.

"Tanya," I nodded towards her. I sure as hell wasn't going to hug her or say it was great to see her. She, however, put the act on right away.

"Bella!" She stood, wrapping her arms around my shoulders in a bony and uncomfortable hug, pushing me back before I could return the gesture. Her fingers dug into my shoulder as she plastered a smile on her face.

"Bella, I love your shirt, it makes your eyes pop!" Regardless of my mint I had popped in my mouth in the elevator, my mouth gave off a rancid taste. I sucked harder on the mint, planting an equally fake smile on my face. Part of me wanted to flick her in the forehead, but the other part of me wondered why she didn't like my shirt. I had looked in the mirror, and I thought I looked great in it.

"I'm sure," I responded. I stepped out of Tanya's claws and turned to Edward. The poor guy looked like he was going to come unhinged. Glancing at the kitchen I saw that there was no food being prepared. What happened to dinner?

"Do you need help cooking?" I asked him. It took Edward a few seconds to understand what I was asking, following my gaze into the clean kitchen.

"Oh!" Edward shook his head, stepping next to Tanya to wrap his arm around her waist. "No, Tanya thought it would be best if we ordered out because so many of us were here."

I quietly exhaled, wishing that I had come over right after class instead of stopping by my dorm. Edward loved to cook, but Tanya seemed to prefer him buy her food whenever they were together.

Edward pulled out a chair to Tanya's left, nodding his head towards it in a clear indication that he wanted me to have a seat. Sitting in my _assigned seat_, I turned to Angela in hopes that I could hold off conversation with Tanya just a bit longer.

"So Angela, how are classes going?" Angela beamed at me and started going into detail about her Education course. She was going to school so she could teach elementary aged children. I could genuinely see her surrounded by kids, helping to mold the minds of the future generations.

The doorbell rang, and Edward jumped up to get the food, Ben slowly moving to stand so he could help. Angela, however, didn't slow down on her talking, and I recognized it as a sign of stress. She wasn't going to stop talking until someone interrupted her.

I looked away from Angela as Edward and Ben laid out the food, my mouth salivating as I took in the containers of sushi.

"Yesss," I whispered to myself. Sushi was my favorite.

Angela's chatter tapered off as she eyed up a shrimp tempura roll, her chopsticks already in hand. As I chose a few pieces of sushi from different containers, I let my eyes drift to our host, and I saw that he was staring at me. Raising my eyebrow in question, he tilted his head towards the kitchen in a move I could only assume meant he wanted to speak to me.

I set my plate down, clearing my throat quietly before I stood.

"I'm going to go get drinks for everyone. Edward, would you mind helping?" Edward shot to his feet, his head nodding, reminiscent of a bobble head.

"Yeah, soda okay for everyone?" Tanya was the only one who gave a negative response to his option, asking instead for 'sparkling water'.

As we stepped into the kitchen I opened the fridge to see several bottles of _sparking water_. I shook my head, gently giving it a shake as I picked it up. I was so going to hell.

"So," I whispered as I set the green bottle on the counter and reached for a two liter of coke, "what exactly do you want me to ask?" Edward was leaning on the counter, his thumb nail in his mouth as he gnawed on it. I held back the need to smack his hand out of his mouth, pushing away all the disgusting facts about fecal matter and dirt.

Edward opened his mouth and grunted, sighing in what I could only assume to be defeat.

"Do you think it's obvious if you just come out and ask her if she's fucking someone else besides me?" I choked out a laugh and shook my head. Ever the classy guy.

I lined up four glasses on the counter, opening the freezer for ice. As I poured the soda in each glass I glanced at my friend.

"Yeah that's not happening. Let's try a more subtle approach." Edward grabbed the sparking water, putting it in the pocket of his shorts and grabbing two of the glasses. He turned to me and I was shocked to see that he was radiating annoyance. His brow scrunched together and he locked my eyes in a stare.

"Can't you just fucking tell if she's full of shit? Can't you just tell me if she's been lying to me?" I placed the two glasses I had picked up back on the counter and faced Edward, stepping forward so there were only inches between us. I was worried that he thought this was some kind of circus side show act, but he needed to understand something _very _quickly.

"What the hell do you think it is that I do, Edward?" I tilted my head at him and waited for a response. Nothing. "Do you think it's a parlor trick? That I can just look at someone and read their mind and know 'hey, that person is a liar, don't associate with them'? It's not a fucking 'trick' as you keep calling it. So if you want my help, stop being a fucking ass hole and help me with these damn drinks."

I turned my back to him, picked up the two sodas, and stormed back into the dining room. Angela was already going to town on the pieces of sushi she had put on her plate, and Ben was just watching her with a smile on his face. _I wish I had someone look at me like that_.

I ignored my inner thoughts and placed the two glasses down in front of my friends, sitting down as Edward was placing one down for me. I smirked when he took the bottle of _water_ from his pocket, placing it in front of Tanya. She was oblivious to where it came from, only looking up from her cell phone to smile at Edward, and then looked back down.

Edward grabbed my attention by nodding at the phone and then giving me a look that clearly said 'HELP'. Show time.

"So Tanya," I made sure my voice was clear and that there was no uncertainty that she would be able to hear; she'd smell the fear. "How are your classes going?" Tanya sighed and set her cell phone down, face down, on the table. That caught my attention.

"Fine," she responded, picking up chopsticks to start eating. I didn't accept her one word answer, so I pushed.

"What classes are you taking this semester? I always followed the rule that I would have at least one class each semester that I enjoyed, that way I wouldn't get bored and I'd have _something_ to look forward to. Is that what you did?" I smiled and stared at Tanya, watching as she chewed and swallowed, narrowing her eyes at me again as adjusted herself in her seat.

"Yeah," she finally answered, "my mother gave me the same advice." I nodded, urging her with my chopsticks to continue. I took this moment to shove food in my mouth, groaning with happiness at the spicy tuna.

Tanya ate another piece of sushi and nodded, continuing on her explanation.

"I decided to take a Psychology glass," Tanya told us, a smile on her face. "I'm still undecided in my major, but I just find Psychology so interesting, don't you?" She looked at me, as if she were waiting for me to tell her how the subject was absolutely fascinating.

"I'm not the biggest fan of the subject," I admitted carefully. "However, I did take a class my first year. The professor was an absolute idiot, but I got my A. Probably because he didn't understand the subject and was intimidated by the entire class." I barked out a laugh and looked at Angela.

"Remember him?" I asked her. She had been in the same class as me. "Psychology of the Adolescent or something?" Angela was nodding, laughing with me.

"Barker, I think his name was," she recalled. We both laughed, and I looked over at Tanya, ready to tell her to stay away from this guy, but my words died on my lips. I took in her red face, anger very apparent on her face.

I glanced back at Angela, and she was seeing the same thing I was. Turning back to Tanya I cleared my throat and forced a smile.

"Anyway, what Psychology class are you taking?" I knew the answer, deep inside. Tanya set her chopsticks down and gave me an equally forced smile.

"Psychology of the Adolescent with Barker." It still didn't explain why she was so angry at us for laughing about the class.

"And you're enjoying it?" Tanya nodded, loyalty was fierce with this one.

"Paul is brilliant, and he's been amazing at explaining the material so that I can understand." Her words caught my attention and I put my chopsticks down as well, mirroring Tanya's stature.

Glancing at Edward, I made sure he was listening. He definitely was.

"Well things definitely have changed it seems, two years can do a lot for an inexperienced teacher." I chose my words carefully, dreading the outcome already.

Tanya's eyebrows shot up in disbelief.

"Inexperienced?" She scoffed, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "Well you clearly didn't appreciate the subject and I'm surprised you passed the class at all. Pa – Mr. Barker makes sure that each student is understanding the material before tests and papers are due. I'm actually thinking of taking his class again next semester. He offers several courses in Psychology."

I leaned forward slightly, my eyes drilling into hers. I prepared myself for the onslaught of bitterness I was about to taste.

"I heard that Professor Barker used to tutor his students if they need help," I swallowed back my lie, "does he still do that?" Tanya's eyes lit up, and I think she was relieved I said what I did.

"Yes!" She exclaimed happily. "That's what I've been doing to help me with the subject, and I've been getting extra help from him almost every week." I popped a piece of sushi in my mouth, chewing quickly. I had a couple more questions to ask her, but if I wanted to avoid throwing up in Edward's home, I had to pace myself.

Swallowing, I took a sip of my soda and turned back to Tanya. Edward, however, beat me to it.

"Is that where you were Tuesday?" he asked. Tanya was nodding, her blonde hair falling around her shoulders with the movement.

"Yes, I was with Mr. Barker. _Ah, the truth_. "Studying."

And there it was.

I gripped my glass in my hand, the condensation making my hand slippery. I glanced to my left, meeting Angela's disbelieving eyes. She didn't even need a trick to hear the bull shit that Tanya was exuding.

I looked up at Edward, watching as he nodded at Tanya. His girlfriend grinned at him and went back to her sushi, her mood clearly lifted at the conversation that transpired. I could hear her cell phone buzzing on the table, and I forced myself to keep my hands to myself, and not grab it to see the text messages I knew would be there.

Edward finally looked at me and I could see that he didn't need my trick anymore. He probably wished that we weren't there at all. But I knew he needed that final confirmation from me, so I shook my head slightly at him, sighing as I took a sip of my soda. His face dropped, eyes sad.

"Yeah," Edward whispered. "Studying."


End file.
